At Homecoming/Family Weekend last year, I spoke with John Ravenal ’81, P ’15 about curating The Alumni Show II as part of the celebration of the CFA’s 40th anniversary. John is the Sydney and Frances Lewis Family Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond. Despite the swift timetable, he agreed and began the daunting task of crafting from the rich and wide-ranging body of art by Wesleyan alumni a selective and cohesive exhibition of seventeen artists. I’m excited for the extended Wesleyan family and the community-at-large to engage with the work and eager to hear the conversations that follow. As John writes in the exhibition catalogue, reflecting on his own experience, an experience shared by many who have passed through Wesleyan in some capacity:
“The
building of the CFA and the value it conferred on the study and
practice of the arts, while not uncommon for a liberal arts college,
underscored Wesleyan’s commitment to education conducted in a spirit of
free inquiry, without consideration for vocational utility, but rather
dedicated to increasing the understanding of the human and natural
worlds we inhabit. This lofty ideal, ever under attack as impractical,
unaffordable, and even elitist, is precisely what has opened the door
for generations of young adults to expand their minds far beyond what
they even knew to anticipate, and to consider the arts as a valid path
for a lifetime of intellectual as well as creative pursuit. The broad
spectrum of themes and subjects explored by the artists in this
exhibition underscores the wisdom of this attitude. It doesn’t seem a
stretch to see in their complex, sophisticated, critical, and beautiful
work a confirmation of Wesleyan’s core values.”
Join us in celebrating and expanding this vibrant tradition. The official opening reception for The Alumni Show II is Tuesday, September 10 from 5pm to 7pm, followed by a performance/installation ["Centrifugal March"] by Aki Sasamoto ’04 at 7:30pm in Art Studio North. We look forward to seeing you!"The Alumni Show II"
Ezra and Cecile Zilkha Gallery
Friday, September 6 through Sunday, December 8, 2013
Tuesday-Sunday, Noon-5pm
Opening Reception: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 from 5pm to 7pm. Performance by Aki Sasamoto '04 at 7:30pm in Art Studio North.
Homecoming/Family Weekend Reception: Saturday, November 2, 2013 from 2pm to 4pm. Talk at 2:30pm by Guest Curator John Ravenal '81, P '15, Sydney and Frances Lewis Family Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond; Special Gallery Hours: Noon to 6pm.
Closed Wednesday, November 20 through Monday, November 25, 2013.
FREE!
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